The family of Halyna Hutchins, the “Rust” cinematographer accidentally shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin in 2021, has filed a lawsuit against the actor and other people involved in the film.
The family’s attorney, well-known Gloria Allred, announced on Thursday, February 9, that they had filed the lawsuit on behalf of Hutchins’ father, Anatolii Androsovych, her mother, Olga Solovey, and her sister, Svetlana Zemko.
Attorney Gloria Allred is famous for fighting for women’s rights and for cases against celebrities. She has represented many clients in lawsuits against famous people, including against Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, comedian/actor Sacha Baron Cohen and singer R. Kelly.
The lawsuit accuses the defendants of negligence, battery, emotional distress inflicted intentionally, and loss of consortium.
The 42-year-old cinematographer was killed on October 21, 2021, while filming the movie “Rust” at a ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Baldwin was rehearsing for a scene with a live gun when it accidentally went off, shooting live rounds at the cinematographer, killing her instantly, and injuring movie director Joel Souza.
Speaking on Thursday, Attorney Allred said that the family would never be able to enjoy life again, since Hutchins was the light in their lives.
Although Hutchins’ parents and sister, who live in Ukraine, were not present at the news conference in Los Angeles, a short video of her mother and sister commenting on the lawsuit played.
In the video message translated to English, Hutchins’ sister Zemko said that losing her sister was a horrible experience and it was more devastating to watch her parents suffer and the decline of their health since Hutchins’ death.
According to Attorney Allred, the deceased provided financial support back home, adding that the loss of their loved one was tragic for her clients, but they also had to cope with the loss while living in Ukraine and in the middle of a war.
The lawsuit comes after prosecutors charged Baldwin with involuntary manslaughter in January, accusing him of being negligent, skipping necessary firearms training, and creating a reckless climate on the movie set.
During the January announcement, District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies said that both Baldwin and Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the armorer for the movie, had been charged with involuntary manslaughter.
DA Carmack-Altwies announced they had also charged Assistant Director David Halls with negligent use of a deadly weapon, and he had agreed to plead no contest.
Baldwin has consistently denied any wrongdoing in the shooting.
The lawsuit alleges that safety protocols meant to ensure gun safety in the set were ignored. It also accuses Baldwin of failing to check the gun before using it, leading to the senseless death of an innocent woman.
